Book of the Dead
by Kamrusepas Night
Summary: It's Christmastime in Carmel and Sleepy has come home from university - and he's brought something with him much to Suze's chagrin...His roomate! But Set Fluttaz is more than he seems - much more. . .Chapter eight now up!
1. An Introduction to Set

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**Disclaimer: **I own Set Fluttaz and this story, while Ms. Carroll/Cabotowns everyoneand 

everything else. I am making no profit from writing this and thus there is no reason to sue.

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**Comments: **This is my first _ever_ fanfic and I would love - _adore_ - some comments. 

**Author's Note: **This story takes place before and during Christmastime - which would make it take place about six months after the events of _Darkest Hour_. Thus, if you haven't read it I would suggest you to **not** read this. If this does happen, and the book is spoiled and I am not to be held responsible.Also Set's name comes from Egyptian mythology: "Set, also known as Seth, is lord of the desert and god of storms, confusion, and destruction. Set murdered his own brother, Osiris, by sealing him in a coffin. His eternal enemy is Horus, the sky god, the son of Isis and Osiris" [Illustrated Book of Myths]. Set was also known for having red hair. The Set in this story, is not unlike the Set of mythology, although they have their differences, as you will see when the story gets longer. 

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Chapter One: An Introduction to Set

I moaned as I heard the doorbell ring. I was hoping to have a couple more hours of a Sleepy-free

household**. **And as if Sleepy coming home for Christmas wasn't be enough? Oh no, he was bringing _his_ roommate! I ask you: I am really that bad? I mean, do I deserve to be punished like this? I think not. For years I sacrificed my social life so I could help the recently deceased and this is the thanks I get?_Two _whole weeks of sharing a house with _three_ surfers? I hadn't clarified all the details about this roommate, but I was 

sure that he was a surfer. I mean, how else could he stand being Sleepy's _roommate_ - think about all the time Sleepy spends in his room - if he wasn't like Sleepy. You may ask : why the _hell_ would Sleepy's roommate be coming to spend the holidays with us? Apparently his family lives in Europe and he wasn't planning to go back for Christmas, so he was just going to stay at the university for the holidays. Once my mom heard about this - how come whenever Sleepy _does_ open his mouth, nothing good comes of it? - she _ordered_ Sleepy to invite his roommate to Carmel with him. 

Deciding I might as well get it over with, I headed out of my bedroom and down to the living room where my family plus this roommate had most likely assembled. As I joined them in the room my thoughts about this roommate changed immediately. The roommate had bright red hair, stunning green eyes that held uncountable knowledge and an Egyptian-looking face. I _almost_ shuddered as he broke off the conversation he was having with Andy and turned his gaze on me.

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"Set, this is Suze, Suze this is Set," said Andy as he noticed I had joined them.

"Hi, Suze," his eyes twinkling - like fireflies racing through an emerald forest - as he said it.

"Hi," I said as I sat down next to Doc on one of the couches.

"What part of Europe did you come from Set?" asked my mom. I think she hoped that by starting a conversation that held geography in it Doc would get talking.

"Africa, actually," said Set. He continued as he sawthe confused looks on everyone's faces, - well, actually it was only me, mom, and Andy that had confused looks on our faces: Doc already knew what Set was about to tell us and Dopey and Sleepy most likely were not listening - "Most people don't know that Egypt is actually a part of Africa. It's one of the _many_ countries that make up Africa." I was now, very much curious about _why_ Sleepy and Set were friends - they had obviously _nothing_ in common.

The evening passed fairly quickly: Set told us about his family - he had two older brothers and one younger sister - and about his favorite historical landmarks in Egypt, - the Nile, the pyramids, the sphinx, etc. - while my family told him about the local history of Carmel and about how during the summer Andy, Sleepy and Dopey dug up the body of Jesse - only they called him Hector de Silva. But no matter how at ease my family seemed with Set, I couldn't. I mean, I had this weird feeling when I was around him, it told me Set was more then he seemed - it told me Set was _dangerous_.

**Note: **Chapter two will be up soon. . . after I get 10 reviews.


	2. A Sense of Foreboding

**Disclaimer:** I own Set Fluttaz and this story, while Ms. Carroll/Cabot owns everyone and everything else.

**Comments:** Although I said I wanted 10 reviews before I would post chapter two I changed my mind. Well, actually I was suddenly struck with an excellent - or what I thought was excellent - idea and I was _forced _to write it down - I seriously couldn't get it out of my head - and that added to the fact that I am totally bored out of my mind made me post this early. But, that "great idea" isn't going to be coming into the story for about a chapter or two

**Thanks to:** Ruby Alien, dreamerbabylioness, Arella Halo, Hyperrcdivagirl and Jedi Padawan Alanna for reviewing me - and giving me _really_ sweet reviews. Thanks, you guys! You don't know how much I appreciated that.

**Chapter Two: A Sense of Foreboding**

I sighed as I was woken by a bang from a room down the hall - why couldn't Dopey work out at a reasonable hour in the morning? Or even at nighttime - or better yet, _not_ at _all._ Although I was pissed at being woken at six o'clock in the morning, but I was kind of glad. I mean, it gave me a perfect chance to finish my Christmas present to Jesse - a sketch of him leaning against my bedpost and staring out my window. I mean, I'm not an artistic person - I usually stick to drawing _stick_ figures, but with a subject like Jesse I seemed to be a talented artist - maybe all I ever needed was inspiration. I had earlier been trying to figure out what to put in the window, because it looked bare compared to the rest of the drawing. I quickly added some shading and shadows to my room and Jesse, then went on to the window. I drew _exactly_ what I saw outside - the weak morning sun's reflection on the ocean, and the gold visions it cast on the water.

Suddenly Jesse appeared infront of me, leaning against my bedpost just like he had in my drawing. I quickly pushed my sketch into one of my notebooks which lay on my desk - I didn't want Jesse seeing his present before Christmas -, but not before I glance at it and realized how realistic it looked. The shadows on Jesse in my sketch pretty well matched with the ones currently covering Jesse.

"What's that?" asked Jesse as he saw me stuff my sketch into the notebook.

"Nothing," I said as I gave him a look which told him to drop it. The discussion, I mean.

Jesse obviously wasn't very curious or had more important thing to talk about because he didn't ask again. Instead he walked over to the window seat, where Spike - who had apparently decided to make an appearance - had caught his attention.

"Have you met Sleepy's roommate yet?" he asked suddenly, taking me _completely_ by surprise - but, then again, Jesse is enigmatic, so that happens _quite _often.

"Uh, yeah," I answered, trying to keep the uneasiness I felt out of my voice.

"You should feel that way," stated Jesse who had seen through my would-be-not-uneasiness.

"Why?" I asked, feeling my pulse start to race. We both looked towards the door as someone knocked.

"I can't say. Just stay _away_ from Set Fluttaz," he suddenly got up and gave me a kiss - on the lips -, then mouthed the words "_take care_" before disappearing. When my mom came into my room, I tried best to not show the sense of foreboding that was sinking into my stomach. 

**Note:** Please review. Chapter three will be uploaded as soon as I write it. 


	3. A Morning Phone Call

**Disclaimer:** I own Set Fluttaz, John Drake and this story, while Ms. Carroll/Cabot owns everyone and everything else.

**Comments:** Am I boring anyone to death yet with _Book of the Dead?_ Oh, and the PG13 stuff will be in the chapter after the next - but, that might change in the writing of it - and the title will be explained sometime or another.

**Chapter Three: A Morning Phone Call**

I entered Father D's office and sat down in a chair across from him. After seeing his face my previous felling of foreboding returned - Father Dom looked nervous, worried and even a bit fearful. 

"Susannah, I have something to tell you," he said. 

"What is it?" I asked Father Dom, trying to keep the dread I was feeling out of my voice.

"I received some - um - news this morning. A friend of mine, I've known him for years, was like us - a mediator - and he had spent most of his life looking for others," started Father Dom. "And he had started a small community of mediators, there was only about half a dozen members or so. Last night he called me. A friend of his is a priest and somehow they got into the topic of certain priests and my name came up. John - that's my friend's name - recognized my name and asked the priest for my number. John, knowing I was a mediator phoned me and told me about his group of mediators."

"And?" I asked knowing there was more to the story then what I had just been told. I mean. none of what Father Dom had just told me explained his weird behavior.

Father Dom continued, "He also told me about the recent deaths of _all_ the other members of the group." Father Dom gulped, "This morning the L.A.P.D phoned me and asked if I knew anything about the death of John Drake."

**Note:** I know, that was _really_ short - but I needed it to be dramatic. . .Did it work? Oh, and chapter four will be up either tonight or tomorrow. And the next chapters will probably be longer than one, two, and three - unless I spilt them up


	4. Caught in the Act

**Disclaimer:** I own Set Fluttaz, John Drake, Elliot Pagenoi and this story - there may be more on that list when the story gets deeper -, while Ms. Carroll/Ms. Cabot owns everyone and everything else, including _My Monterey, My Monterey_ by Harold Clemmings - I just added Elliot Pagenoi into the book. And _The Hunter's Moon_ by O. R. Melling is a real book - a _really_ great book and I recommend it to anyone reading this.

**Comment:** I repeat this question: 'Is anyone getting bored of this yet?' _Book of the Dead_, I mean. Oh and expect cliffhangers at the end of _every_ chapter. . .Even the epilogue - yes, I know exactly how I'm going to end this story, I just need to figure out the invents leading to it and write it all down. Lol.

**Note:** R&R. . .as always. Oh, and if you do review can you tell me what you like about the story, etc? And please read the **Author's Note** at the end. 

**Chapter Four: Caught in the Act**

I entered the library and headed toward the Carmel history section. Mr. Walden, my first period history teacher had assigned a report about a famous Carmel person for the holidays. I had chosen to do mine on Elliot Pagenoi, a poet from the early twentieth-century - who had incidentally stayed at my house during a returning visit. I scanned the selves for something of interest when I noticed _My Monterey, My Monterey_ by Harold Clemmings. I toke _My Monterey, My Monterey_ off the shelf and sat down on one of the giant arm chairs. 

I looked up Elliot Pagenoi in the index and opened the book to page ninety-seven. There was a painting of Elliot Pagenoi - he had glossy black hair that was so dark it almost looked blue and bright blue eyes. I quickly read the page on Elliot and took out my history notebook, so I could take notes. As I opened the notebook the drawing of Jesse I had earlier been working on fell out. I had forgotten I had put it there when Jesse had suddenly appeared and since I had been at Father Dom's office till Mr. Walden's class was almost over - I got there right when Mr. Walden was telling the class about the assignment - I hadn't realized the sketch was in there.

I quickly wrote down the most important parts of the page on Elliot Pagenoi and left the Carmel history room to go to the microfiche room. Once at the microfiche room I read the instructions on how to use the microfiche and looked for the newspaper edition for the 23rd of January, 1907 - where according to _My Monterey, My Monterey_ there was 'a long detailed article on the life and times of Elliot Pagenoi.' When I found the article I read it and then wrote down the main points - the ones that hadn't already been discussed in _My Monterey, My Monterey_. 

At that point I was tired of researching for my assignment and decided to find a novel worth reading upstairs, since Clark - a library assistant in his senior year who volunteered to drive me home - wasn't heading home till eight-fifteen and it was only seven-forty-five. While heading towards the adult section I stopped by the children's books when I saw a book I remembered - and had loved as a preteen. I picked up_ The Hunter's Moon_ by O. R. Melling and sat down on the edge of one of the edge of a big purple couch in the children's area. I read the first two chapters and decided that I should take it out for Doc to read - even if faeries and sidhe-mounds weren't _ really_ his thing. 

I glanced at my wrist-watch and noticed that it was ten minutes till Clark would be leaving. I left the children's section and headed upstairs to the third floor, where Clark was working. While walking through the empty second floor - the library was closing soon most people had already left - I heard a muffled thump. I headed towards the sound - I should of known better. I mean, it could of been anything, but Father Dom had just warned me that my life might be endangered by some mediator-killer, so I had _no_ excuse to be as careless as I was being - and found myself in front of a door that had "Video Room" written on a plaque hanging on the door. I quietly turned the handle and opened the door. As soon as I saw that the room was total darkness I placed my hand on the wall to my right looking for the light switch. I gasped as I saw _who_ was in the room.

A young woman a bit older than me was lying on the floor, her only wound was two tiny pinpricks on her neck. Beside stood a surprised looking Set with blood dripping off two long canine teeth extending from his mouth.

**Author's Note:** The whole vampire thing has nothing to do with _Ninth Key_, it's just that I love - as in a kind of obsessed way, but also in a good way - vampires. And yes, Set is a _real_ vampire, not the kind of vampire-wannabe Red Beaumont was. Oh, and chapter five will be up either later today or sometime tomorrow - I think my fan fiction goal is to put up a chapter of _Book of the Dead_ each day. . .Maybe even two if I have _too_ much free time - which I already have a lot of. And the chapters are now going to be either the length of this one _or_ longer.


	5. Dealing with the Sanguijuela

**Disclaimer: **I own Set Fluttaz, John Drake, Elliot Pagenoi and this story, while the divinity known as Ms. Carroll - or Ms. Cabot - owns everyone and everything else. 

**Comments:** Please review - I _need_ your comments. Oh, and if you really like this, you could always go and read some of my other work *hint hint* - my other work includes another _Mediator_ fic called _Origin of the Mediator_, a sequel to _Companions of the Night_ - currently untitled - and an original piece of work called _The Salvation_. 

**Author's Note: **Okay, "sanguijuela" means bloodsucker or leech in Spanish, and although I'm sure that this is meant as a name for those dreaded bugs that live in warm water and latch onto your feet and suck your blood, I'm using it as a I had writer's block - blame _it_ for this not being up yesterday. 

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Chapter Five: Dealing with the Sanguijuela

I took a quick step backwards as Set came towards me and tried to open the door. Even if this guy wasn't a real vampire - and I had no doubt that he _was_ - he could do what he did to that girl now lying on the floor. Whatever that was. I suddenly realized that I was no longer near the door, somehow I had moved to the other end of the room and Set had my arms behind my back, trying to keep me getting away. At that point I was seriously doubting my escape, especially since Set could apparently move _so _fast. I was starting to wonder how Set was going to kill me. Suck my blood? Bring me to his vampire buddies? There was no doubt in my mind that he was going to let me go. I mean, I had just found out that the guy was a _vampire_.

Right when I started wishing that Set _would_ kill me and get it over with - I mean, I'd rather just die and get it over with, then stay here wondering how he is going to kill me - _Jesse_ appeared. I don't think I've ever been so happy in my life to see him, and apparently the feeling was mutual. Jesse came up near me and was about to give Set a hard punch on the head, when Set put out a solitary hand and pushed Jesse into the floor. 

I don't think I've ever seen Jesse so surprised - well, since the day I met him. But his bewilderment - at the fact that Set could see and touch him - soon turned to rage.

"Let go of her, sanguijuela," said Jesse in his silky voice of his - his scar on his eyebrow was glowing brightly against his dark skin. He then took Set by surprise as he kicked him _hard_ in the shin. Set however did not wince or show _any_ sign of discomfort. Instead he thrust me down to the floor and headed towards the door. 

"Oh and you might want to clean her -" he pointed toward the girl on the floor - "up a bit, before the librarians come up at closing time," he said as he walked out the door and closed it behind him. I winced as Jesse helped me up - when Set dropped me, I had banged my head _pretty_ hard on the floor. Once the pain in my head cleared, I glanced around the Video Room. There was a "Librarians Only" room off to one side, so I headed towards it guessing that there would probably be a first aid there. 

My guess proved right as I shoved open the door and spotted a first aid kit hanging on the wall near the librarian's desk. I opened it up and took out some rubbing alcohol and grabbed some tissues from the tissue box reclining on the librarian's filing cabinet. I headed out the door and bumped into Jesse, who was probably coming in to see what I was doing.

"You put it on cuts," I told Jesse as I saw him give the bottle of rubbing alcohol a questioning look. 

"You're going to put it on the girl's neck," said Jesse. I didn't feel it necessary to answer Jesse, because he had said it in a statement-way, not a questioning way - so I ignored him. I mean, he does it to _me_ all the time, so I think I have a right to do it right back to him. Jesse followed behind me as I walked towards the girl, while opening the bottle - I hoped that I could fix it so when I got the librarians to come up, it would look like she just fainted.

I dabbed some rubbing alcohol onto the girl's neck, trying to clear away the small amount of blood that reclined there. When I was done I put back the rubbing alcohol and threw out the tissues. I then headed downstairs.

**Note: **The reason this is up so late, is because I have been really busy the past couple days - and I had some major writer's block. Please review. 


	6. When Playing with Fire

**Disclaimer:** I own Set Fluttaz, John Drake, Elliot Pagenoi - the soon-to-becoming Pierce Lewis -, and this story, while Ms. Carroll/Cabot owns everyone and everything else. 

**Comments:** Review, and if you bother to, can you tell me what you like about _Book of the Dead_. (Thanks to dreamerbabylioness for telling me the reasons she liked _Book of the Dead_.)

**Chapter Six: When Playing with Fire**

I sighed as I dropped my bag onto the floor and flung myself onto the bed. After I had told the library staff about the girl in the Video Room - I had said that 'I heard a noise coming from inside the Video Room and went to investigate. I then saw the unconscious girl on the floor and came down for help.' - they had - the librarians - rushed upstairs and called the ambulance. Since there had been no marks on the girl - the fang marks were _gone_ - and because when the girl was brought back to the conscious world, she said that she couldn't remember _anything_ and that she felt very dizzy, the E.M.T blamed malnutrition. The girl 

admitted that she was on some 'wonder diet' - as put by the source she found out about it by -, which worked out _perfectly_.

I couldn't figure out what to do about Set. I mean, he's a _vampire_ and could do some serious harm to _my_ family - but if he did, he would be a _dead_ vampire soon enough. Wait - or was he already dead? As in the undead - I was going to have to figure that out. I almost picked up the phone and called Father Dom, but decided against it - I didn't want anyone overhearing my conversation with Father Dom. I know that I've had some pretty weird conversations with Father Dom when my family was in the house, unsuspecting of what we were _really_ talking about, but not _only_ would my family send me to Bellevue if they heard me talking about Set being a vampire to Father Dom - but _also_ I didn't know the full extent to Set's vampiric powers - come on: I've seen some of the movies; read Dracula (ninth grade literary class). Vampires almost always have inhuman powers: super-hearing; incredible speed (which Set had already proved correct); shape-shifting -, he _might_ be able to hear me, and Father Dom, from wherever he's reclining in the house - I didn't want him hearing me talk to Father Dom. I mean, what if he found out that I can see ghosts? What if he found out that Father Dom was - 

Wait. Why was Set here - I mean, I've already stated my thoughts about his and Sleepy's "friendship" -? Did it have anything to do with me being a mediator? Oh god, it made perfect sense: the whole killing off mediators thing - was it the vampires doing it? Shit, how many vampires were there? I was seriously considering biking down to Father Dom's - at that moment I didn't really care what the sisters would think of it - and telling him what I had learned, when the phone hang.

"Suze," called Andy from downstairs, "it's for you." I frowned wondering who would be phoning at nine o'clock on a Friday night for _me_. I mean, both Cee Cee and Adam had gone off to different parts of North America - I say North America, because although Adam had gone to his grandparents in Virginia, Cee Cee had gone down to Calgary to visit her cousins and grandparents - for the holidays and I couldn't think of anyone else _noteworthy _who would be calling me - Kelly Prescott hardly fell onto the list of people I consider noteworthy.

"Hello?" I said into the phone.

"Hi, Suze," said a male voice I did _not_ recognize.

"Who is this?" I asked, suddenly a bit cautious. I mean, I have a right: not only have I found out that my life may be in danger from some "mediator-killer", but also - in the same day, I might mention - I found out that the people who _are_ killing off mediators may _most likely_ be _vampires_. 

"Paul - Paul Slater. I presume you remember me," he said in a voice that was quite the opposite of what someone who was involved in the conspiracy to exorcise my boyfriend and _then_ tried to trap _me_ in the same spiritplane where my boyfriend reclined. No, of course I didn't remember him - it's not like he was conspiring with anyone who tried to do me bodily harm. No, they had: threatened me, threw me off a roof _and _tried to do me bodily harm - what a jerk.

"I guess you've already met Set," said Paul, just as I was about to hang up on him.

"What about him?" I asked wondering _how_ much Paul knew about Set Fluttaz.

"He's dangerous and he has nothing against you getting hurt. _But_ I know exactly what Set wants and I will tell you if you agree to what I want," said Paul. Before I could ask what it was he wanted he said, "Another chance." 

I stared at the phone in utter disbelief - I had a pretty good guess about what Paul was talking about and I did _not_ like it. I wondered what Jesse would do if he found out that Paul had been hitting on me. I finally said, "Paul, I would rather go out with a psychotic-axe-murderer than with you," I said when I could _finally _get my voice back.

"When playing with fire, you're going to get burned," I heard Paul say just as I was hanging up the phone - this time, though, I didn't stop.

**Note:** The reason I had Paul like that towards Suze is because I believe he likes her. I mean, why else would he want to send Jesse to the shadowland-place? Because Jesse was unnecessary competition - that's why. Oh, and chapter seven will be up soon. Please review. 


	7. To Please the Birds

**Disclaimer: **I own Set Fluttaz, John Drake, Elliot Pagenoi, Mrs. Erikson, Pierce Lewis - he was supposed to be in this chapter, but I had a great idea and he got transported to the next chapter -, The Seer, and this story, while Ms. Carroll/Cabot owns everyone and everything else. 

**Comments:** Eh, I didn't know anyone else thought Paul liked Suze. I mean, he didn't hit on her when they went out for a bite after Suze was babysitting Jack - then again, if he did hit on her then, she would have probably either gotten mad or gone home, and that would of brought Jesse back to her house and ruined Maria, Paul and Felix's plans. But until a little while ago I thought the whole 'I guess it was not to be. . .for now' stuff was Paul trying to get Suze to join DMA - Dark Mediators of America - or something. . .Okay, I'm freaking myself out now. . .Let's get on with chapter seven. . .I am such a freak. . .

**Note: **Uh, I just wanted to say that I _love_ the "come hell or high water" saying - it's so. . .uh. . .romantic? Don't ask. But I'm not sure who said it first. Oh, and as always; review. Oh, and the reason this is up **so** late is because I've been **really** preoccupied lately. But, on the good side; if I hadn't of been "preoccupied" I wouldn't have thought of the whole meeting with The Seer thing. And, chapter eight will be up **soon** - I promise.

**Chapter Seven: To Please the Birds**

I started to get out of bed when I woke-up and winced - I had a killer headache. Then again, that kind of made sense since I had just found out that a group of people were conspiring my death - again. I suddenly remembered my wanting to visit Father Dom and jumped out of bed, headed to the bathroom to get some aspirin before I got dressed. Damn! I realized halfway to the bathroom that I had used up the last of my stash of aspirin last week after beaten up a ghost with an attitude problem - and a gift for giving _hard_ punches. I made a mental note to get some more aspirin and started to get dressed. I pulled down my red T-shirt - although it was Christmastime, it was still hot as _hell_ out in Carmel - and was heading toward my closed bedroom door, when the noise began.

It began as a soft humming, but continued on to a rumble of thunder. The room started to tilt as I grabbed open the door and walked straight into a wall of black fire and water. I tried backing up, but the room tilted even more and I went hurdling into an sky of oblivion. . .

. . .I woke up laying on the lush green grass of what looked like a forest. I started up quickly, startled by my changed surroundings - the last thing I could remember was. . .Oh god, I must be a lot _more_ tired than I thought or maybe all the years of mediating had worked up into insanity - I was hallucinating. I had to be! But the more I thought about it - standing there in the middle of some unknown wood - I realized I shouldn't be questioning my sanity. No, I had witnessed that some people - like Paul - could go places they _shouldn't_ be - maybe somebody had sent me here. A living exorcism like the one Father Dom performed on me, when I went to the shadowland to get Jesse back. 

I looked around my surroundings and saw a stone figure that _hadn't_ been there before - it was like the bird bathes my neighbor in New York used to put out in springtime, to please to birds. Mrs. Erikson had been _a bit_ eccentric and had told everyone that her husband - who had been dead for almost a _decade_ - told her that one sure way to get to heaven, was to be kind to birds. I walked towards the stone figure and looked in the water - it seemed to go deeper and deeper and never touch bottom. I blew on the water - like I had in Mrs. Erikson's bird bathes, when mom and dad had gotten her to babysat me when they went out -, which sent ripples to the sides of the water, causing small waves to lap over the side of the structure. 

A lady came out of the wood surrounding the clearing where I know reclined. The lady was incredible. She had neither pale nor dark skin, but a color that seemed to own itself - a mixture of _everything. _Her originality was even more difficult to figure out - she was a mixture of every nationality. Her hair was a snow white that didn't match her youthful face. Her eyes - oh, her eyes - changed every moment. Each new incredible color made me forget the color before. 

The lady walked over to me in a mixture of predator and goddess - which I had _no doubt_ she was, even though I didn't even believe in God. She smiled as she came closer and looked me over as a mother might look at a long-lost daughter. She smiled again, this time a smile of remembrance - of a time I was yet to discover. I didn't know how I knew these things - they seemed like a natural instinct, like when I saw my first ghost and found out that my mom could _not_ see the figure, I had realized that the ghost was to remain a secret.

"You are coming to a fork in the road - you must chose between to difficult things," the goddess told me when she finally looked away from me and towards an ancient stump, in the center of the clearing - which had not been there earlier. "But there will be someone to help you - only one person." She must of known I thought she was talking about Jesse, for she said, "You have just met him or will soon - I cannot tell you everything. I can only try to guide you - you are meant for _great _things Susannah. I am _sure_ of it - and you will need all the help you can get." She smiled that smile of a remembrance of things to come. 

"Who are you?" I managed to gasp.

"People have called me "Mother", "Goddess" and other such - but _you_ may call me by my _one true _name. The Seer," she - The Seer - said.

"What are you?" I asked in a weak voice - although I knew the answer. I _always_ had - since the beginning of time. The Beginning. Wait - where did that come from? 

"'Till we meet again," said the goddess and with that she turned away and disappeared - I suddenly felt my knees go weak, and my world collapsed around me.

**Note: **Review, review, review. Want to learn more about The Seer? Read _Origin of the Mediator_.


	8. Decades Before Our Time

**Disclaimer: **I own Set Fluttaz, John Drake, Elliot Pagenoi, Mrs. Erikson, Pierce Lewis - he's finally here! -, and this story, while Ms. Carroll/Cabot owns everyone and everything mentioned in her books. 

**Author's Note:** Eh, just more of me being a freak - I think I'm _actually _going to write a _Mediator_ fan fic later about DMA (Dark Mediators of America, incase you have forgotten or didn't read the author's note for chapter seven) later. I could have this bunch of rebel teenagers sitting in shadowland and trying to agree on how they're going to take over the earth/shadowland or both. . .Ahem. . .

**Chapter Eight: Decades Before Our Time**

I sighed as I sat down in the Land Rover - Andy and Dopey had both come down with some flu bug and my mom proposed that me, Sleepy, Doc and Set should go out for dinner, while she took care of Andy and Dopey. Set called it a 'great idea' - who is he trying to kid? I'd rather sit in a room full of poisonous snakes than in a room with Set. But, of course I had to go - I might try to lie to you and say that I wouldn't leave my two step-brother's in the clutches of a vampire - I doubt Set would do anything to them while in a restaurant, full of people -, but my mom ordered me. That right; she _ordered_ me. 

"Where are we going?" asked Set as Sleepy turned on the engine.

"Carmelina - a restaurant built in the former house of Elliot Pagenoi," answered Doc.

"Oh - Carmel's poet," said Set. I was disgusted - Set was trying to small-talk Doc; earn his trust. And from what I was seeing it was working - I had to figure out some way to tell Doc how dangerous Set was, without telling him exactly _what_ he was.

"A very famous poet at that. Pagenoi's work can be seen in many of our nations most beloved poetry anthologies and his art work - in the later years of his life, Pagenoi started to paint America's wildlife - is displayed in many of our country's historic museums. Although Pagenoi lived decades before our time - he was born in 1847 and died in 1913 - his work is used 'til this day in essays and inspires American poets and artists," said Doc - where was he when I was doing my report on Elliot? I mean, really.

I yawned as Sleepy pulled the Land Rover into a parking space near Carmelina - see what lack of sleep and dreaming of receiving messages from a god-like lady does to a girl? And I was even starting to believe that my dream of The Seer hadn't been a dream at all - I woke-up on the floor, wearing the same clothes I was in my clearing dream. It's too much - although, I no longer wish to not be a mediator. I mean, if I didn't see ghosts I wouldn't be able to see - and kiss - Jesse - who, by the way, I haven't seen since the night I caught Set in the library.

"Up too late last night?" asked Set in a sly, almost flirtatious, way as I got out of the Land Rover. Sleepy looked at us in a surprised way - oh, god, I hoped he wasn't thinking what I thought he was thinking. What was Set thinking? I mean, why the hell would he flirt with a girl who _knows_ that he's a vampire and that he's conspiring to kill her, along with other mediators.

"Did mom make reservations?" I asked Doc, pretending I didn't hear Set. 

"Yep. She said she put it under Ms. Simons," answered Doc as I opened the door of the restaurant for him - and letting it close after me in Set's face.

I walked up to the middle-aged man standing at the entrance of the main dining room. I told him the name the reservations and he guided us - Sleepy and Set had come up behind Doc and I - to a table for four near a window overlooking the sea and the beach surrounding it. The restaurant was a lot fancier than I thought - but still looked homey.

Dinner continued without much interesting events - Set didn't talk to me much, but he did talk _a lot_ with Doc about American events like the Civil War and such, while Sleepy just sat there looking confused - which was kind of a compliment to Doc and Set, considering he wasn't asleep.

"I need to visit the restroom," I announced when I decided I was going to go crazy if I heard any more facts about America's first space shuttle - curtsey of Set, who seemed to know a lot about America's history for a guy from Africa. Then again, he _might _of lived the history he was talking about, considering the fact he was a vampire.

I left the table and headed for the stairs off the main hallway, which led upstairs and to the restrooms. The hallway upstairs was the exact opposite of the downstairs - instead of bright and cheerful, it was painted with dark colors and had dark lighting. It kind of creeped me out. The decor, I mean. 

I turned down the hallway - towards the wing that held the washrooms, according to the waiter I had asked earlier. I suddenly walked into darkness - pure black. I thought I had blacked out again - until a hand covered my mouth and another hand wrapped around my waist.

"Don't scream," said a young male voice - someone around my age. "My name is Pierce Lewis - I just want to help you." 

**Note:** As I always say; begging sometimes works - please review.


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